Sunday, November 28, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
How I spent my Arafah
This year was my first Arafah fast, alhamdulillah. The reason being it my first was because I was recently introduced to its utmost beauty. Immediately I realized what a major loss I had incurred having missed out on all the previous days of Arafaah in my life! This is an ultimate bonus deal where you get cleansed off your sins of the previous year and the next - pure delight for any Believer right?
The 9th of Dhul Hijjah or the Day of Arafah is one of the great days mentioned in the Holy Quran. Allah (swt) descends to the nearest heaven to answer the pleas for repentance and to reward the ones who observe prayers, fasts, or dhikr. How could I have missed out?
This morning I woke up for my Suhoor along with my siblings, alhamdulillah. They too have been blessed with the conscience to be young devotees of Allah (swt). My stomach acid had caused me to miss out the previous Dhul Hijjah fasts, so I made a prayer of making it through the day without any pains or burns bothering me between my prayers and dhikr.
I usually sleep after my Fajr prayers. Today, I chose to stay awake because I wished to observe the morning Chasht prayer. Alhamdulillah, I prayed Chasht which is considered to be a sin cleanser itself! I followed on with abundant dhikr, alhamdulillah, starting with the takbeer and tahmeed and reciting surah al Fajr which holds the mention of the ten blessed nights i.e. Dhul Hijjah. I allowed my dua'as to be sincere and I sought sincere repentance of my sins. I know what have I been and what have I done. I am not very proud of it and so I needed the spill of tears there! I begged Allah (swt) to have mercy on me and not to enlist me with those whom He dislikes. I prayed to be evicted from the blaze of Hell fire and I prayed for a life of purity and piety ahead, inshAllah, ameen.
Today was a mission against Satan - the Evil Whisperer and I know that not only the pilgrims of Makkah with their pebbles but me too have owned him - humiliated his guts - BADLY! And I have a message for him tonight after concluding my day of worship with a delicious Iftaar and prayers ...
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING! SHOW ME WHAT YOU'VE GOT! I'D SHOW YOU ...!!!
Day of Arafah - Your Ticket to Paradise
It would be unfortunate if we do not realize the incredible beauty of the faith we belong to. Allah (swt) has studded our lives with nothing but opportunities upon opportunities to walk our way straight into Paradise.
This; what appears to be a black cube studded with velvet ebony and strings of gold, is the epicenter of our very belief in the Oneness of our Lord. Some people are fond of having its majestic photos framed and hung up on the walls of their houses, others like to invest heavily on pendants and charms which are imitations of the House of Allah and feel that they are expressing devotion if they wear it around. Our faith is not about symbols and material objects. The reason this House i.e. the Ka'abahtullah was built by the prophets Abraham and Ishmael (peace and blessings be upon them) by command of our Lord. It is not worshiped! No material object is worshiped. But it is the center towards which every praying person in the world has to face towards - 5 times a day OBLIGATORY - to prove that he or she is part of the faith which believes in One Allah (swt) the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth.
Today was a remarkable day. It is Dhul Hijjah (pronounced zill-Hajj); the last month of the Islamic calendar. And today was the 9th of Dhul Hijjah - the day when the final rite of the annual Muslim pilgrimage to the house of Allah (the Hajj) was performed. Billions of Muslim pilgrims from around the world; having invested a large chunk of their fortune, had set out about a month ago for the love of their Creator towards this great day. Today, with the final ritual of circumambulating 7 times around the House of Allah (swt) they concluded the most rewarding of all journeys of their life! It is said that a person becomes as clean and pure as a newborn child after performing the Hajj. Wow!
And Arafah - the grand finale event of the pilgrimage - is a day of great merits even for non-pilgrims around the world. It has its significance deep rooted in the very history of this earth's creation. Arafah is also the name of the great ground where the entire world's populace would gather on the Final Day! And this is the very ground where Adam and Eve (peace and blessings be upon them) reunited after being separated for hundreds of years in punishment for being expelled from Paradise.
The non-pilgrims can seek their way into Paradise by fasting the 9 days of Dhul Hijjah and in particular the day of Arafah. It is today when your fast would evict you (according to a hadith narrated from Sahih Muslim) from your sins of the past year and the year ahead. Can you believe this? You're being forgiven in advance for the mess you'd be creating (may Allah forbid you) next year! What more is it going to take you to acknowledge the GREATNESS of your Lord and the BEAUTY of your faith?
“There is no day on which Allaah ransoms more of His slaves from the Fire than the day of ‘Arafah. He draws close then He boasts about them before the angels and says, ‘What do these people want?’” (Sahih Muslim)
Arafah comes once an year to cleanse our spirits of all evil. This is a day when Allah (swt) descends to the nearest Heaven to hear our pleas for repentance and to answer our prayers. Millions of people; on this day, are evicted from a terrible fate of burning in Hell fire and each one of us should strive to be on that list!
It is not difficult. It takes prayers, dhikr and fasting or even one of the supererogatory acts of devotion for your Lord who had blessed you with the best. As the pilgrims chant "Labbaik Allahumma Labaik" "I am present O! Allah! I am present!" it is up to the rest of us to hold that belief of being accountable to our Lord and to indulge in deep prayers on this day.
Arafah shall take you through ... all the way to Paradise. Make sure you have your ticket.
Sisterly yours,
@num @.
Arafah comes once an year to cleanse our spirits of all evil. This is a day when Allah (swt) descends to the nearest Heaven to hear our pleas for repentance and to answer our prayers. Millions of people; on this day, are evicted from a terrible fate of burning in Hell fire and each one of us should strive to be on that list!
It is not difficult. It takes prayers, dhikr and fasting or even one of the supererogatory acts of devotion for your Lord who had blessed you with the best. As the pilgrims chant "Labbaik Allahumma Labaik" "I am present O! Allah! I am present!" it is up to the rest of us to hold that belief of being accountable to our Lord and to indulge in deep prayers on this day.
Arafah shall take you through ... all the way to Paradise. Make sure you have your ticket.
Sisterly yours,
@num @.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Ready! Set! Groom!
I have been in slight neglect of myself for about a week I guess. No! I don't have boogers hanging from my nose or dirt on my face BUT my heels have kind of fallen prey to the Fall and the coming of winter and they kind of cracked! Not good! I keep getting the carpet fur sticking to the cracked heels. My skin's dry and flaking due to the onset of the cold wave. I am not obsessive compulsive but yes! It is part of being a perfect Muslim woman to keep yourself well-groomed. And there is a whole lot of NEGLECT on the part of sisters because they don't know their facts right and go on un-groomed and unkempt, thinking that no grooming is modesty.
Your body is sacred trust between you and Allah (swt) dear sisters and keeping it beautiful and preserved is your duty, I tell you! The first preservation is the spiritual where you are modest and do not give yourself away to the sight and touch of strange men. Ughh! And this includes the "boyfriends" and "fiances" as well. And the second preservation is where you protect yourself from the influence of biological and natural processes. You keep yourself clean and odor free after you pee or poop, you keep yourself beautiful despite the effect of some hormones on your outward appearance. I shall tell you how ...
BATHING ROUTINES
Some sisters feel that regular bathing is a waste of time. No, really. I have heard "I don't need a bath". Seriously? So what ... your armpits don't sweat? Your scalp never gets grimy? Wow. And sometimes, despite the bathing, where sisters treat themselves with lavish concoctions from The Body Shop, there are neglected areas. Seriously, tell me when was the last time you checked to see if your belly button was clean? Need I go on?
Bathing routines need an investment of time. How much time do you give to your daily shower? 10 minutes? 5 minutes? I say give a good 15-20 minutes and instead of being lost in thoughts while standing under the shower and thinking about being America's Next Top Model ... actively clean yourself!
Shampoos are made for a purpose. The scalp gets grimy and so you should shampoo at least twice a week. I go for alternate days because my scalp is oily. I know myself ... know yourself.
Get a good shower scrub/sponge to rub yourself with. It is the best way to get grime off you if you have a very sweaty routine. A good shower gel would help you fight the odor!
SUNNAN-al-FITRAH
There are a few grooming routines that are obligatory. Not many sisters keep track or are concerned about these. The Sunan al-Fitrah include (1) Trimming of moustache (2) Trimming of nails (3) Circumcision (4) Removal of armpit and pubic hair
The NAILS need to be kept short and hadith says that you should HURRY to shorten them when they've been growing for long. You cannot go over 40 days max to trim your talons. With all the bit about nail art, sisters have gone off track here. French manicures and shades of the rainbow on the nails and what not. Okay, those are beautiful but consider artificial acrylic nails, please? Because with animal-like claws you are definitely displeasing Allah (swt). ARMPIT and PUBIC hair need to be removed. Yes! I just said that because it needs to be addressed. If you are ignoring such basics then you need to know that they are not just grooming and personal hygiene obligations that you are overlooking but they are commandments!
WAXING
There are MAJOR arguments about whether removing hair from arms and legs and the body are allowed or not. I have good news. It is permissible. People argue but it is permissible unless you wish to be a grizzly bear in full bloom. You can also remove hair if they are growing on the upper lip as a mustache or on the chin like a beard because these are all affecting your feminine beauty. HOWEVER!!! You cannot cannot cannot pluck your eyebrows! It is a MAJOR sin as mentioned in the hadith. Plucking the eyebrows and making those arches or whatever it is those beauty stylists call them - is not permissible at all because that would be changing the artwork of Allah (swt). If there are hair between the eyebrows then they could be removed because that is not part of the eyebrow line. But nothing else!
SKIN
No tattoos please because these are permanent and your body belongs to Allah (swt). You can always go for Henna which is fragrant, beautiful and temporary.
Know your skin type because you need to maintain yourself. If it's oily then please work on it to keep it dry before you become an oil rig and then become a pimple zone! And if it is dry keep it hydrated with aloe vera and moisturizers so you don't shed off like snake skin!
HAIR
You can have any hairstyle you want except the outrageous ones imitating people who choose to be deviant i.e. punk hair! You can color your hair without imitating obnoxious colors! Make sure all that is happening inside your Hijab and is not available for public display!
Oil your hair once a week to keep it healthy. Olive oil is the best. The Quran mentions the olive (zaytoon) and it has merits. Don't keep the oil in your hair for DAYS ... shampoo after an hour.
Please don't become a case of head lice!
Your morning routine should be very particular, ladies. You should shower (at least the full body if not the hair). Always use a good talc to keep off sweat - at least most of it. Use a very mild fragrance on the inside of your garments (preferably on the undergarments) so you don't smell like a public garden. DRESS up well even if you are a house wife or a stay at a home girl. Because if you feel great about yourself only then can you be your fullest in life.
TAKE CARE List
Cracked heels
Long nails
Dandruff / Oily Scalp / Lice (bugs!!!)
Split ends
Scum deposits in piercings (ear/nose)
Armpit hair
Pubic hair
Extra hair on the body
Discoloration of teeth
Bad breath
Belly button goo!
Scum in the nails
Scum between toes
Your body is sacred trust between you and Allah (swt) dear sisters and keeping it beautiful and preserved is your duty, I tell you! The first preservation is the spiritual where you are modest and do not give yourself away to the sight and touch of strange men. Ughh! And this includes the "boyfriends" and "fiances" as well. And the second preservation is where you protect yourself from the influence of biological and natural processes. You keep yourself clean and odor free after you pee or poop, you keep yourself beautiful despite the effect of some hormones on your outward appearance. I shall tell you how ...
BATHING ROUTINES
Some sisters feel that regular bathing is a waste of time. No, really. I have heard "I don't need a bath". Seriously? So what ... your armpits don't sweat? Your scalp never gets grimy? Wow. And sometimes, despite the bathing, where sisters treat themselves with lavish concoctions from The Body Shop, there are neglected areas. Seriously, tell me when was the last time you checked to see if your belly button was clean? Need I go on?
Bathing routines need an investment of time. How much time do you give to your daily shower? 10 minutes? 5 minutes? I say give a good 15-20 minutes and instead of being lost in thoughts while standing under the shower and thinking about being America's Next Top Model ... actively clean yourself!
Shampoos are made for a purpose. The scalp gets grimy and so you should shampoo at least twice a week. I go for alternate days because my scalp is oily. I know myself ... know yourself.
Get a good shower scrub/sponge to rub yourself with. It is the best way to get grime off you if you have a very sweaty routine. A good shower gel would help you fight the odor!
SUNNAN-al-FITRAH
There are a few grooming routines that are obligatory. Not many sisters keep track or are concerned about these. The Sunan al-Fitrah include (1) Trimming of moustache (2) Trimming of nails (3) Circumcision (4) Removal of armpit and pubic hair
The NAILS need to be kept short and hadith says that you should HURRY to shorten them when they've been growing for long. You cannot go over 40 days max to trim your talons. With all the bit about nail art, sisters have gone off track here. French manicures and shades of the rainbow on the nails and what not. Okay, those are beautiful but consider artificial acrylic nails, please? Because with animal-like claws you are definitely displeasing Allah (swt). ARMPIT and PUBIC hair need to be removed. Yes! I just said that because it needs to be addressed. If you are ignoring such basics then you need to know that they are not just grooming and personal hygiene obligations that you are overlooking but they are commandments!
WAXING
There are MAJOR arguments about whether removing hair from arms and legs and the body are allowed or not. I have good news. It is permissible. People argue but it is permissible unless you wish to be a grizzly bear in full bloom. You can also remove hair if they are growing on the upper lip as a mustache or on the chin like a beard because these are all affecting your feminine beauty. HOWEVER!!! You cannot cannot cannot pluck your eyebrows! It is a MAJOR sin as mentioned in the hadith. Plucking the eyebrows and making those arches or whatever it is those beauty stylists call them - is not permissible at all because that would be changing the artwork of Allah (swt). If there are hair between the eyebrows then they could be removed because that is not part of the eyebrow line. But nothing else!
SKIN
No tattoos please because these are permanent and your body belongs to Allah (swt). You can always go for Henna which is fragrant, beautiful and temporary.
Know your skin type because you need to maintain yourself. If it's oily then please work on it to keep it dry before you become an oil rig and then become a pimple zone! And if it is dry keep it hydrated with aloe vera and moisturizers so you don't shed off like snake skin!
HAIR
You can have any hairstyle you want except the outrageous ones imitating people who choose to be deviant i.e. punk hair! You can color your hair without imitating obnoxious colors! Make sure all that is happening inside your Hijab and is not available for public display!
Oil your hair once a week to keep it healthy. Olive oil is the best. The Quran mentions the olive (zaytoon) and it has merits. Don't keep the oil in your hair for DAYS ... shampoo after an hour.
Please don't become a case of head lice!
Your morning routine should be very particular, ladies. You should shower (at least the full body if not the hair). Always use a good talc to keep off sweat - at least most of it. Use a very mild fragrance on the inside of your garments (preferably on the undergarments) so you don't smell like a public garden. DRESS up well even if you are a house wife or a stay at a home girl. Because if you feel great about yourself only then can you be your fullest in life.
TAKE CARE List
Cracked heels
Long nails
Dandruff / Oily Scalp / Lice (bugs!!!)
Split ends
Scum deposits in piercings (ear/nose)
Armpit hair
Pubic hair
Extra hair on the body
Discoloration of teeth
Bad breath
Belly button goo!
Scum in the nails
Scum between toes
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